I feel so frustrated by this whole process, because, as a fresh-out-of-college 1L, I have never looked for anything more than a part-time job. And even my most serious employment was tutoring athletes -- hardly a law firm application process.

Ok, folks, I admit it. There's something in law school that doesn't come as second nature to me -- Civ Pro. At first I was ashamed to admit that I was having trouble (you know all that vanity left over from the I'm a 3.9 GPA Phi Beta Kappa student in undergrad days).

The funny thing is, I really can't place a finger on what it is that doesn't click for me. All I know is that about 30 per cent of the time, I find myself at least somewhat confused. They say this is normal, that you aren't supposed to understand everything that you learn during your first few weeks, but I don't seem to have any problems understanding the concepts in my other classes.

I suppose the logical thing to do would be to go talk to my professor and ask her if she thinks I am not up to speed and start reading pertinent topics in Examples and Explanations. I do plan to do these things, but I guess, more than anything I need some moral support, an affirmation that I am not the only one. Misery loves company, you know. I'm just scared because I don't remember the last time I was lost in class. Anyone else share my pain??

There are so many interesting journals, organizations and clinics at Boalt. I know I can't join them all and I know I should focus on studying right now, but I really want to get involved early. That, and I am concerned about how potential employers will react if my grades are good, but I never had clinical experience or wrote on a journal.